


Lingering Glance

by Vialana



Series: Hope [2]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Coda, Episode 1x05, Episode 1x06, Falling In Love, Introspection, Light Angst, M/M, Pining Lance (Voltron), Pre-Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-22
Updated: 2017-06-22
Packaged: 2018-11-17 09:09:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 755
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11272380
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vialana/pseuds/Vialana
Summary: The thing is, Lance absolutely remembers their bonding moment.





	Lingering Glance

**Author's Note:**

> I am finally getting back into this series after a few weeks caught up in "real life". Again, going backwards with some introspective Lance and character stuff as I get into the groove of writing again.

The thing is, Lance absolutely remembers their bonding moment. In fact, it was difficult to forget.

The cold metal against his back. The ache permeating his body. The smell of ozone that lingered after he took a shot. Keith reaching for him. Keith’s hand in his, firm and warm.

Keith’s smile.

Lance didn’t know how to deal with how overwhelming and confusing it was. So, when Keith mentioned it, he played it off—like he always did back in the garrison, or at home, when things got too big and he didn’t know what to do. Denied it. Changed the subject. Shut down Keith’s attempts at bonding before they became too much. Before he suffocated and drowned in the roiling emotions beneath his skin.

The thing is, though, Lance remembers everything about Keith. His smile. His dark eyes. The way he slouched when he was bored. The way his hair curled at the nape of his neck. How high pitched he got when he was indignant. The way he moved in a cockpit. Old test scores. What he looked like when he was daydreaming. How terrible he was at every card game except poker. That he hummed low in his throat when he was absorbed in his work.

Every interaction Lance had ever had with Keith was archived in his mind and, now that they were starting to grow close, every useless fact and memory was rushing to the surface and overwhelming Lance with their intensity.

So, rather than dealing with it, he lied. Keith got angry. Then Lance lost Blue and Keith reveled in the comeuppance and the moment seemingly passed. Nothing about their relationship changed.

Except Lance remembered everything. And, when he finally had the time to sit and sort through that everything, he realised one very important fact:

He was utterly screwed.

 

* * *

 

Falling in love with Keith was so easy. 

Lance had been halfway there back at the Garrison. It was almost embarrassing to think about how obvious his crush had been—monitoring Keith’s scores, memorising Keith’s schedule, orchestrating coincidental shoulder bumps in the hallways, paying some kid in their class to swap lockers so he had a better line of sight during those few minutes every day between classes. No wonder Hunk had rolled his eyes every time Lance started ranting about how perfect Keith was and how he ignored Lance all the time and how Lance was absolutely going to beat him and make him acknowledge Lance as the best in front of everyone.

Lance was actually kind of glad now that Keith had the emotional acumen of a rock. It had given Lance time to settle into these feelings without being confronted by them. A year ago, he didn’t think he’d have handled this revelation quite so well.

Not that he was necessarily handling it well right now. Poking at Keith. Riling him up. Distracting him from getting too close just in case he figured Lance out. Even if Keith was oblivious, the rest of the team weren’t. They’d figure it out sooner or later. And Lance just wasn’t ready to deal with anyone knowing this. Not yet.

So he did his best to push it down. Hide every speck of interest. He cut back on the insults—not so much that people would be suspicious, but he tried not to let Keith’s actions influence his every waking thought.

He flirted with Allura. He hung out with Hunk and pestered Pidge. Shiro dragged him up for a few training sessions and sometimes he even offered to help Coran with the castle chores.

Even so, he still noticed Keith. The way he talked more and opened up to the other paladins. His smiles became more common. He joined in the teasing and threw himself into work and the team and this new life as a defender of the universe.

Lance couldn’t help it. Keith was so easy to love. He was earnest and awkward when he let his guard down and could bite back when Lance teased. He was an amazing fighter and a brilliant pilot. He was so dedicated to the team and their mission. He pushed himself to be better every day and he was just so happy to be here, on this ship, sailing the stars, with this misfit team, even if he pretended not to care. He was breathtaking.

So, Lance never allowed himself to show it, but he could admit it in the privacy of his own mind. And that would have to be enough.

**Author's Note:**

> You can find me on Tumblr: [ladyvialana](https://ladyvialana.tumblr.com/)


End file.
